Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-01-27

taken up and Senator Berry obtained the
floor to discuss it, but the Senate i'm
mediately went into secret session and
when the doors reopened, adjourned.
| THE HOUSE,.
| WASHINGTON, Jan. 26.-The Speaker
laid before the House letter from the
Secretary of the Treasury submitting es-
Inmates OF the Secretary of the Interior on
the appropriation to meet the expendi-
lures required for the Mexican pension
bill. Referred. The Secretary of the In
terror estimates that S4,663, l04 will be
required for the first yearly payment of
pensions. He asks for an appropriation
OF 1921 600 for an increased clerical force.
The Senate fisheries bill having been
laid before the House, on motion OF MIR.
Belmont of New York it was referred to
the committee on foreign affairs snd leave
was granted that committee II report at
any time. The granting of leave to report
at enY time required unanimous consent
but there was apparently no disposition
on the part of any member to
make objection. As it has
been frequently held that the right to re-
port at any time carries with it the right
of immediate consideration, the bill
will have right of way in the House as
soon as it has been passed upon by the
committee.
Mr.. Bragg Of Wisconsin submitted q
conference report upon the army appro-
priati0n bill, and it was agreed to.
Mr. SadIer of Alabama, Oh behalf Of the
committee on private land claims, called
up the bill authorizing the eXamination,
approval and patenting of certain uni
form land claims in Arkansas, Florida,
Louisiana, Missouri, Alabama and Missis
sippi, south OF the thirty first degree of
north latitude.
The bill was strenuously opposed on
the ground that 1t was vicious, inasmuch
as il conhded the decision of the validity
of claims to large tracts of land
having origin in grants from
the French, British or Spanish govern
land offices, or the Commissioner of the
appeal to the courts.
TIE morning hour expired without &C
ton, and after brief struggle for pre-
cedenCe between the pneumonia bill and
the river and harbor appropriation bill,
the latter proved successful, and the
House went into committee of the whole
or that me"sure.
Mr.. Nelson of Minnesota off red the
following amendment as substitute for
the entire bill: That the sum of s., 100000
is hereby appropriated out Of any money
in the treasury not otherwise appropri-
ated, which may be expended by a board
of engineers consisting of the chief Of en-
gineers and the four engineers now senior
in service, either for repair, preservation,
construction or completion Of such pub
lie improvements of rivers and harbors as
shall in their judgment afford practical
and important facilities by water of inter
state commerce.
Mr. Hepburn of Iowa said the proposed
substitute was parliamentary trick aud
nothing more. The friends OF the bill, de-
spairiEg of getting it through, proposed to
appropriate lump sum, and thus stop sill
criticism on the different features of the
measure. 1t was expected that the Senate
would reform the bill and that it would
be brought to the House by the confer
ence committee, and that no opportunity
for amendment would be granted.
Mr.. Nelson expressed his surprise that
the gentleman from Iowa, M, Hepburn,
should make such charges IS he did. H.
denied that there was any trick in it.
After long debate the substitute was
agreed to bv 40 TO ~, ard it was report
ed to the ouse.
The previous question was ordered;
yeas l65, nays GA.
Mr. Dingley of Maine, rising to a par
liamentary question, inquired the effect
of the refusal on the part of the House
to agree to the substitute.
The Speaker replied that the original
bill would then be before the House for
action.
Mr.. Dingley suggested that not one
line of this bill had been considered in
committee of the whole.
Mr.. Willis hoped that in view of this
ruling that the substitute would be re-
jected.
The substitute was rejected-yeas, 46;
nays, l76.
The original bill was then ordered en-
crossed and read the third time-yeas,
l43; nays, S7-snd the previous question
ordered on the final passage of the bill.
Mr.. Hepburn demanded the reading Of
the engrossed copy, and as the bill had
not been engrossed the House adjourned.
The bill will come up for tinma! action
tomorrow.